Human rights group the Enough Project has flagged up Nintendo, HTC and Sharp for not doing
enough to prevent conflict minerals from entering their supply
chain.

Conflict
minerals include Gold, tin, tantalum and tungsten and are found
in all consumer electronic products. In eastern Congo, armed groups earn
hundreds of millions of pounds each year through the trade of
these minerals. Government troops and militias squabble to control
the mines and civilians get caught -- literally -- in the
crossfire. Minerals are then smuggled out of Congo and shift to be
processed -- rendering them difficult to trace -- and then sold to
consumer electronics companies.

The report scores the 24 largest consumer electronics companies
on their efforts to find out where the minerals and metals they use
come from.

The organisation released its first report on conflict minerals
in December 2010, and says that since then many companies have made
changes to their supply chains to ensure they don't use conflict
minerals. This is partly spurred by the conflict minerals provision
in the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform.

Intel, Motorola Solutions, HP and Apple are described
as "pioneers of progress" by the report. These companies have
developed initiatives such as "smelter auditing" (smelters are
where the minerals are processed) as well as aid projects to help
Congo develop a clean minerals trade.

At the naughty end of the scale is Nintendo which has, according
to the report, made "no known effort to trace or audit its supply
chain". Sharp, HTC, Nikon and Canon are taking baby steps but are
"far behind industry leaders".

The report recognises that there are many other industries that
use conflict minerals, including the automotive sector, jewellery,
mining and industrial machinery.

Ethical mining entrepreneur Jeffrey Wright said: "Moving
forward, we need to ensure that conflict-free mining does not
equate to Congo-free mining. Companies sourcing minerals from
eastern Congo can invest in a way that serves both their own
interests and the interests of local communities. To help achieve
this, more firms should join the Public-Private Alliance for
Responsible Minerals Trade, invest in projects to source clean
minerals in eastern Congo, and support social development
initiatives in mining communities to foster sustained economic
growth and long-term stability."

Edited by Nate Lanxon

Comments

Seems like we need to bring democracy to Congo and take the burden of these minerals of their tired back.